# radical

The   $\sqrt{\hskip 8.535827pt}$  is called a radical. The of the radical symbol is the first letter “r” of the Latin radix, which “root (http://planetmath.org/NthRoot)”.

There is other terminology that is related to radicals: In the expression $\sqrt[3]{x}$, $x$ is the radicand and $3$ is the index.

The index of a radical is usually an integer at least as large as two; however, if the index is two, it is usually not written. Moreover, if a radical does not have a written index, it is understood to be two, in which case the radical denotes a square root.

A radical expression is an expression that involves a radical.

One can use fractional powers instead of the radical symbol via $\sqrt[n]{x}=x^{\frac{1}{n}}$. This practice of avoiding the radical symbol may be due to typesetting issues.

 Title radical Canonical name Radical12 Date of creation 2013-03-22 17:06:00 Last modified on 2013-03-22 17:06:00 Owner Wkbj79 (1863) Last modified by Wkbj79 (1863) Numerical id 22 Author Wkbj79 (1863) Entry type Definition Classification msc 30-00 Classification msc 12D99 Classification msc 00A05 Synonym radical symbol Related topic Radical5 Related topic EvenEvenOddRule Related topic NthRoot Defines radicand Defines index Defines radical expression